256 column limit whinge

[merlin777]

I just have to get this one off my chest:

I realise the 256 column limitation is historical from 8 bit binary but, given there are 365 days in the year it should be logical that users would want to set up days across a worksheet rather than be limited to just downwards?

It's refreshing to have that fixed in 2007 but it should have been done years ago - many of us still have to dumb down to at least 2003 to work with the rest of the real world!

I feel a bit better now - thanks.
jc

 

[Macropod]

Hi merlin777,

OK, so now that you've had your whinge, you'll be pleased to know:
1. the 256 column limit had nothing to do with an 8-bit binary limit; after all, a worksheet could have 65536 rows - and only 16384 rows in earlier versions; and
2. Prior to Excel 2007, Microsoft gave you the 'Microsoft Office Spreadsheet X.0' control (depending on Excel version). Using the Control Toolbox you could add this spreadsheet control to any worksheet, giving you a spreadsheet embedded in any worksheet.
The embedded spreadsheet control could show up to 262,144 rows and up to 17,576 (ZZZ) columns.

 

[SydneyGeek]

My personal experience is that, for large workbooks, exceeding about 70 columns is asking for trouble. I have had stability and calculation issues the one or two times I tried it, so I don't bother now; except, sometimes, hitting the limit with a pivot table is frustrating.

So yes, 2007 has all those lovely columns (and rows). I don't use them. I push large datasets to Access, and play with the bits I need in Excel

Denis

 

[Macropod]

My personal experience is that, for large workbooks, exceeding about 70 columns is asking for trouble. ...
Denis

Hmm, I've never had any problems (except speed & memory limitations) even with with complex workbooks containing multiple worksheets, some of which had over 200 columns.

 

[SydneyGeek]

I guess I was talking workbooks in the 20-50 Mb range, with multiple sheets, running a 5-year forecast. Under those circumstances limiting the columns kept the size down and helped with stability.
And yes, we found another way to do it because those beasts were temperamental.

Denis

 

[Macropod]

Hi Denis,

In that case, I suspect it was the sheer workbook size, rather than the column count, that was becoming an issue. I've certainly found earlier versions to be temperamental once you get much over 40Mb.

 

[merlin777]

I do a lot of Gantt charts - quick simple ones with a resolution of days and without the complexity of setting up an MSProject project.

No great stress on calculation speed or memory and not really many rows either but hamstrung by the column limit. Although I can do them on 2007 I can't port them to 2003 at work....

I stand corrected on some of my original whinge. However, I'd be interested to know why the column limit was 256 if it didn't relate in some way to 8 bit binary!

 

[Domski]

Have a look here: http://spreadsheetpage.com/index.php/oddity/the_256_column_limitation/

Seems JW does think it was to do with binary etc. Not saying he's right mind.

Dom